2018 Year-end Review : Passion Projects & Breakthroughs

It’s that time of the year when I go about the highlights (and lows) of the year as a review of what these 12 months have been.

2018 has been filled with extraordinary challenges, lessons, growth and love. If this year has been tough on you and those you love, I understand. The important thing is, we keep going because God is greater than any of these problems and we come up victorious with Him by our side.

If you’ve been following me, you’d know that each year I have a theme and this year its Passion Projects and Breakthroughs 2018. That’s where the hashtag #PPBreakthroughs2018 comes. Below are a few of the highlights of this year and sure thing, I’d like to share about them too.

Highlights of 2018 #PPBreakthroughs2018

• Kokobear’s new job

• Moving to Dubai

• Dan2x Wedding 

• Grey’s Birth 

• 5+ Months vacation in Cebu

• My Surgery 

• Podcast Interview 

• 10 Collaborations / Sponsored posts 

• Completed Free Course for TCP

• Started The Creative Passport (TCP) Workbook

• Pitched The Creative Passport (TCP) Workbook

• A full year of CFFL Dubai victories and challenges

So, Kokobear (my husband) was hired for a company here in Dubai which led us to moving from Abu Dhabi (after 9 years) to Dubai to culminate a decade of being in the emirates. Yes, it’s been 10 years now since we both first stepped into this beautiful land. And we are still starting to explore Dubai!

With the change of environment and city I opt to take that opportunity as well to go on a vacation for the new year + the upcoming wedding of my younger brother. Dan-Dan wed Yvette on 2nd Jan 2018 and so I prepared and created their wedding invite, a DIY passion project for me. Check it out here G+M DIY Wedding Invitation.

Then comes a God’s Gift to our family!!! Our newest additional “Belt” member. GREY is my first ever nephew! Such a cutie. You’d probably see a few photos of him on my instagram : @jmkayne.

So from late December to till almost end of May, I spend 5+ months at home. Stayed in Cebu and took a few visits here and there. Met a few friends but most importantly did faced a health breakthrough. Yes, I had a surgery. This story will be shared more soon. I have to say through that this breakthrough is pretty much amazing and takes a lot of courage to share. Something happened that made me never the same after that! :)

While I was still in Cebu, I did have an opportunity to be interviewed for a podcast! The beautiful couple Chris & Tiara of Our Food Adventures featured and interviewed me for things about visiting CEBU! :) Listen to the episode here: Tropical Paradise, Swimming with Whale Sharks, and Crispy Pig Skin in Cebu, Philippines with Julie-Mae from IAMJMKAYNE.

This year, I’m happy to share that I have made 10 collaborations for 2018. A target I made earlier this year. These are both more on marketing/ads blog post versions. Here are the 2018 Collaborations I made. 

This March, I planned to create the Social Studies online class but I was derailed to other stuffs and ended up with another course. Yet, still so happy that I opt to complete this free course right after delivering it to CFFL Dubai. Enroll in this FREE Course at thecreativepassport.teachable.com. It’s about Speaker’s Workshop – Speaking God’s Words.

Also, I have been creating The Creative Passport workbook. This idea came in when I was on the plane back to Dubai and a creative workbook excites me. I actually have a timeline/deadline on this but currently way behind it. Although, I have to say that I was able to pitch it into a publishing company here in the UAE. I hope it catches their attention and that they will give me a chance to complete it.

This year as well is a great opportunity to be of service to God. I think I have shared in the previous blog posts, that He has anointed Darrelle and I to take care of his vineyard in Dubai and become the Area Servants. It started with a tough road to journey on but He simply made all ways straight and provided everything and everyone that we need. I’d probably dedicate another blog for this story, I’m starting to get emotional and catching up my thoughts because there seemed to be a lot to share. :)

Finally, the year is about to close and up to this day (as I write this post) I still haven’t have any chance of a real interview for a job. It has been almost 2 long years. I feel like it was just yesterday, but I have to admit … I missed working. I missed being in action and being busy. I missed being in a corporate environment… and more so, I missed receiving that text from my fave text-mate! :D hehehe

Also, here’s a short IG post – an open letter to Dubai . :)

With all of these things, I still believe that God has a greater plan than whatever it is on my mind. And I continue to wait patiently for His perfect plan and timing.

God bless,